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Screenshot of an avatar in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet having a picnic, with an egg on top of the basket
Screenshot by The Escapist

How to Breed Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Yes, breeding is a part of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and here's how to do it

Since the days of leaving two Pokemon at daycare and waiting for a surprise, eggs and breeding have been key parts of the gaming experience. Like prior games, you can breed Pokemon and hatch eggs in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but the mechanic is a bit different.

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How Breeding Works in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

There’s no Pokemon daycare in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, so the game uses picnics to breed Pokemon. This means you don’t have to travel to a specific location or leave your Pokemon behind to get an egg.

Instead, you simply set up a picnic with two Pokemon that can breed with one another. Pokemon fall under “egg groups,” and you’ll need one male and one female Pokemon of the same category at the picnic. There are 14 different egg groups loosely based on Pokemon types and appearances. The egg groups are:

  • Amorphous
  • Bug
  • Dragon
  • Fairy
  • Field
  • Flying
  • Grass
  • Human-like
  • Mineral
  • Monster
  • Water 1
  • Water 2
  • Water 3

Generally speaking, if Pokemon look similar, they can most likely breed as long as you pair one male and one female Pokemon at your picnic. Ditto can also breed with any egg group, so having one in your party can be helpful.

Once you set up your picnic with your breedable Pokemon, all that’s left is to wait for an egg to appear.

Where to Find Eggs in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

On the ground next to your picnic table, you’ll see an empty basket. Interacting with this basket early in your picnic will give you the message, “Doesn’t look like there’s anything in the basket so far…” If you’re like me, you might initially wonder what we’re expecting to see in the basket if not picnic ingredients.

Screenshot of a picnic in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, with an arrow pointing to the basket where eggs appear
Screenshot by The Escapist

However, this is actually where a new egg will show up. Check back here after some time has passed, and if you’re lucky, you’ll find an egg. Select yes when asked if you’d like to take it, and the egg will move to your Pokemon box.

How to Hatch Eggs in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

The hatch mechanic is pretty much the same as that of Scarlet & Violet in previous Pokemon games. Add the egg to your party and then travel until the egg hatches.

With Miraidon / Koraidon, you can get a good bit of distance fairly quickly, making it relatively easy to hatch eggs compared to walking around on foot. Movement like swimming, gliding, or flying should also count toward the required distance.

Once the egg is ready to hatch, you’ll get a pop-up animation revealing your newly acquired Pokemon.

How to Improve Your Breeding Chances in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

If you’re hoping to increase the chances of finding an egg in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, sandwiches and other meals around Paldea can help.

Foods with Egg Power will increase your breeding odds based on that recipe’s Egg Power level. When in Recipe Mode, you can view the bonuses for each sandwich, including the levels for each boost, making it relatively easy to spot a sandwich that will give you Egg Power.

Screenshot of the recipe mode for sandwich making in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, with an arrow pointing to the egg power
Screenshot by The Escapist

For Level 1 Egg Power recipes, the egg chances are boosted 5x. For Level 2, they are boosted 7x. At Level 3 Egg Power, you’ll be 10x more likely to find an egg in the basket. To achieve Level 3, you will need to get creative and deviate from the provided recipes, combining ingredients with egg power to create your own masterpiece.

Egg Power Sandwich Recipes

Here is a list of the recipes for sandwiches that boost Egg Power in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

SandwichIngredientsEgg Power
Jam SandwichStrawberry
Jam
Level 1
Ultra Jam SandwichStrawberry
Jam
Pineapple
Yogurt
Level 1
Peanut Butter SandwichBanana
Peanut Butter
Level 1
Dessert SandwichApple x2
Yogurt
Whipped Cream
Level 1
Great Dessert SandwichApple x2
Kiwi
Yogurt
Whipped Cream
Level 1
Ultra Dessert SandwichApple x2
Kiwi
Strawberry
Yogurt
Whipped Cream
Level 1
Fruit SandwichApple
Banana
Kiwi
Pineapple
Marmalade
Level 1
Great Fruit SandwichApple
Banana
Kiwi
Pineapple
Marmalade
Whipped Cream
Level 1
Ultra Fruit SandwichApple
Banana
Kiwi
Pineapple
Marmalade
Whipped Cream
Yogurt
Level 1
Sweet SandwichApple
Banana
Cheese

Whipped Cream
Butter
Salt
Level 1
Tofu SandwichTofu x2
Rice
Lettuce
Avocado
Wasabi
Salt
Level 1
Marmalade SandwichCheese
Marmalade
Level 1
Tropical SandwichKlawf Stick
Avocado
Pineapple
Marmalade
Level 1
Sweet Jambon-BeurreHam
Butter
Sweet Herba Mystica
Level 2
Great Sweet SandwichApple
Banana
Cheese
Whipped Cream
Butter
Salt
Level 2
Ultra Sweet SandwichApple
Banana
Cheese
Basil
Whipped Cream
Butter
Salt
Level 2
Legendary Sweet SandwichLettuce
Bacon
Pepper
Sweet Herba Mystica
Level 2
Great Peanut Butter SandwichBanana
Peanut Butter
Butter
Level 2
Ultra Peanut Butter SandwichBanana
Peanut Butter
Butter
Jam
Level 2
Ultra Pickle SandwichPickle
Watercress
Basil
Olive Oil
Level 2
Master Pickle SandwichPickle
Watercress
Basil
Olive Oil
Sour Herba Mystica
Level 2
Great Marmalade SandwichCheese
Marmalade
Butter
Level 2
Ultra Marmalade SandwichCheese
Marmalade
Butter
Cream Cheese
Level 2
Master Curry and Noodle SandwichNoodles
Red Bell Pepper
Yellow Bell Pepper
Jalapeno
Bacon
Egg
Olive Oil
Salt
Curry Powder
Sweet Herba Mystica
Level 3

Egg Power Restaurant Recipes

If you don’t like making sandwiches or are missing key ingredients, you can also buy a variety of foods that have the Egg Power trait as well.

Most cities in Paldea will have at least a couple of food carts and restaurant storefronts. Almost all of them offer at least one dish with Egg Power, so it’s a pretty good bet you can find something to boost your Pokemon breeding wherever you stop. You can easily spot food vendors by pulling up your map and zooming in until you see the store icons. Look for the icon with a bottle of water and a strawberry, and you’ve got yourself a restaurant!

Screenshot of the map in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, zoomed in to show shop icons
Screenshot by The Escapist

Interact with a food cart vendor or step into a restaurant storefront, and you’ll be able to browse a menu full of treats you can buy. Just look for those with Egg Power listed, and you’ll be able to get the same boost as with homemade picnic sandwiches with Level 1 or Level 2 Egg Power.

None of the food vendors in Kitakami offer Egg Power dishes, so you’ll need to bring dishes or ingredients with you to picnic here with a boost. If you’re at Blueberry Academy, you can get Egg Power from The Academy Special in the Cafeteria.


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Author
Image of Amanda Kay Oaks
Amanda Kay Oaks
Contributing Writer
Amanda Kay Oaks has been a freelancer writer with The Escapist since February 2024. She's a lifelong gamer with an affinity for Pokemon, RPGs, and cozy games, especially The Sims. Amanda has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction, with prior work on pop culture and entertainment at Book Riot, Fanfare, and Gamepur.